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The Battle of Rannoch
In Mass Effect 3, the Battle of Rannoch is one of the most significant engagements of the Reaper War, yet at the same time is also a private conflict between the Quarians and the Geth. Three hundred years before the game's events, the Quarians were driven off of their home planet following the Geth's development of sapient intelligence. Since then, the surviving Quarians have lived in exile, their Migrant Fleet drifting across the galaxy as they seek new resources and technology to salvage. In 2185, the Admiralty began conducting plans to retake Rannoch, plans which were pushed forward shortly before the Reapers began their invasion. With the Human Systems Alliance and the Citadel Council struggling to hold back the Reapers' onslaught, Commander Shepard was called upon to unite the different races of the galaxy to strike back against the malevolent machines. Both the Quarians and the Geth could prove to be valuable allies in the coming final battle, but whether or not either side joins the war effort depends upon the choices and actions of the player, not just in Mass Effect 3 but in the previous games as well. Missions Geth Dreadnought The struggle for Rannoch begins with Shepard and his team trying to board the Geth's flagship: a gargantuan dreadnought-class ship that dwarfs any of the other vessels in either the Geth or Quarian fleets. The Geth have been upgraded by the Reapers and are now under their control; a control signal is being transmitted from the dreadnought to every ship in the Geth fleet. Tali'Zorah always accompanies Shepard on this mission, unless she died in Mass Effect 2. If that is the case, Admiral Xen of the Migrant Fleet will assist Shepard's squad without actually joining it. After battling through swaths of Geth troops and even traversing the firing chamber of the dreadnought's main gun, Shepard's team enter the ship's drive core. Inside the drive core should be Legion, a Geth squadmate recruited during ME2. If Legion was destroyed during the previous game or was never recruited, a "Geth VI" will take its place. The Geth unit within the drive core is being used to amplify the Reaper control signal and promises to help Shepard if the commander releases it. Shepard complies and the group manage to shut down the signal and the dreadnought's power systems, disabling the entire ship. Shepard's crew manage to escape aboard a Geth fighter just before the dreadnought is destroyed by the Quarian fleet's combined firepower. Optional Mission: Admiral Koris Admiral Koris, leader of the Quarians' Civilian Fleet, has crash-landed on Rannoch's surface and requires rescuing. Rescuing Koris is vital to the Quarians' success in the final engagement against the Geth, and as such, is a determining factor in whether or not the Quarians will aid in the final battle against the Reapers on Earth. If Admiral Koris survives the rescue, he will be added to Shepard's war assets. If he dies or the mission isn't played, then the Civilian Fleet will become uncoordinated during the Rannoch mission and will suffer heavy losses. Optional Mission: Geth Fighter Squadrons The Quarians' liveships which carry food and medical supplies are being hit by Geth fighter squadrons. A Geth server hub on Rannoch is coordinating the fighters and must be shut down to save the liveships. Shepard does not take a team for this mission and accompanies Legion alone into the virtual realm of the Geth server. Inside the server, Shepard helps Legion to erase the malignant code of the Reapers that is controlling the fighter squadrons. During this mission, Legion also reveals several visual records of how the Geth initially developed sentience, the Morning War and the Quarians' exile from Rannoch. If this mission is played, a platoon of Geth Primes will be added to Shepard's war assets. Whether or not this asset is kept depends on the outcome of the last Rannoch mission. Rannoch The final battle for Rannoch commences. As the Quarian and Geth fleets clash in orbit, Shepard, Tali and Legion/Geth VI attempt to infiltrate the Reaper base which is controlling all of the Geth forces. Jamming towers surrounding the base prevent the Quarians from launching an orbital bombardment and so Shepard is provided with a laser targetting device that will provide a signal the Quarians can lock on to. After reaching the centre of the base, Shepard uses the laser designator and calls in the SSV Normandy for an air strike. The bombing run isn't as effective as hoped and it turns out that the control signal is being transmited by a Reaper Destroyer settled inside the bunker. The Reaper emerges from the bunker and attacks, but Shepard and his team managed to get away aboard a Geth fighter that Legion is pilotting. With the Reaper now out in the open, Shepard can call in an orbital strike upon it and takes on the monstrous Destroyer alone. Against all odds, Shepard escapes being obliterated by the Destroyer's giant laser cannon and manages to tag the Reaper. The Quarians launch their orbital strike and the Reaper is pulverized. Aftermath How the Battle of Rannoch ends depends on the player's choices. Legion wants to upload the Reaper code to the Geth collective, as it enhances their processing functionality to the point of achieving true intelligence. Tali is naturally fearful of what this might mean for her people, since the Quarians have already resumed attacking the Geth. Shepard must moderate the decision. *''If you allow the upload, Legion will sacrifice itself to distribute the new programming and the upload will be finalized. The Migrant Fleet will be wiped out by the newly-enhanced Geth, resulting in the extinction of the Quarian race. Tali will join her people, casting herself off a cliff; there is a Paragon interrupt, but even with it you will not be able to save her. Shepard will gain the Geth as a War Asset, but Tali will no longer be selectable as a squadmate. If Tali did not survive the Suicide Mission in Mass Effect 2, Admiral Shala'Raan vas Tonbay will be present, and will shoot herself''. *''If you choose to stop Legion, Legion/Geth VI will attack, forcing Shepard and Tali to attack it. Several Renegade interrupts will follow allowing Shepard to shoot and eventually kill Legion/Geth VI. The Quarian bombardment annihilates the Geth in its entirety, resulting in the extinction of the Geth collective. Thereafter, the Migrant Fleet joins as a War Asset. '' *''After you have chosen one of the above, you may have the opportunity to pass a Reputation Check. Passing it requires an extremely high Paragon or Renegade score, but if the option is available this is the most rewarding path as it leads to the Quarians and Geth co-operating. The Quarians will back down and both fleets will join as War Assets. While Legion is forced to dissolve its 1183 runtimes to disseminate true intelligence throughout the Geth collective, it achieves true sentience and individuality first, and is able to accept Tali's friendship before passing. '' Category:Machine Events Category:Robot History Category:Mass Effect